FRESHWATER MUSSEL ASSESSMENT 29 October 2007 Authors Beth I. Swartz Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 650 State Street Bangor, Maine 04401 and Ethan Nedeau BIODRAWVERSITY 46 Pomeroy Lane Amherst, MA 01002 MAINE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE WILDLIFE DIVISION RESOURCE ASSESSMENT SECTION FRESHWATER MUSSEL ASSESSMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION................................................................................................5 NATURAL HISTORY..........................................................................................6 Systematics .............................................................................................6 General Description.................................................................................6 General Distribution and Status...............................................................9 Life History.............................................................................................15 Life Cycle....................................................................................15 Growth ........................................................................................19 Habitat ........................................................................................20 Role in Natural Ecosystems ..................................................................23 SPECIES PROFILES.......................................................................................26 Eastern Pearlshell .................................................................................26 Description..................................................................................26 Distribution and Status................................................................27 Habitat ........................................................................................28 Reproduction ..............................................................................28 Brook Floater.........................................................................................29 Description..................................................................................29 Distribution and Status................................................................29 Habitat ........................................................................................31 Reproduction ..............................................................................31 Triangle Floater .....................................................................................32 Description..................................................................................32 Distribution and Status................................................................32 Habitat ........................................................................................33 Reproduction ..............................................................................33 Creeper .................................................................................................34 Description..................................................................................34 Distribution and Status................................................................34 Habitat ........................................................................................35 Reproduction ..............................................................................35 Eastern Floater......................................................................................36 Description..................................................................................36 Distribution and Status................................................................36 Habitat ........................................................................................37 Reproduction ..............................................................................37 2 FRESHWATER MUSSEL ASSESSMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Alewife Floater.......................................................................................37 Description..................................................................................37 Distribution and Status................................................................38 Habitat ........................................................................................38 Reproduction ..............................................................................38 Eastern Elliptio.......................................................................................39 Description..................................................................................39 Distribution and Status................................................................39 Habitat ........................................................................................40 Reproduction ..............................................................................40 Tidewater Mucket ..................................................................................41 Description..................................................................................41 Distribution and Status................................................................41 Habitat ........................................................................................42 Reproduction ..............................................................................42 Yellow Lampmussel...............................................................................43 Description..................................................................................43 Distribution and Status................................................................43 Habitat ........................................................................................45 Reproduction ..............................................................................45 Eastern Lampmussel.............................................................................45 Description..................................................................................45 Distribution and Status................................................................46 Habitat ........................................................................................46 Reproduction ..............................................................................46 RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ..................................................................47 Regulatory Authority..............................................................................47 Maine Endangered Species Act..................................................48 Natural Resource Protection Act.................................................49 Water Classification Program.....................................................50 Mandatory Shoreland Zoning......................................................51 Comprehensive Growth Management Act..................................52 Site Location of Development Act...............................................53 Various acts concerning fishways...............................................53 Clean Water Act..........................................................................54 Past Goals and Objectives ....................................................................55 Past Research and Management ..........................................................55 Current Research and Management .....................................................66 Research and Management Needs.......................................................67 3 FRESHWATER MUSSEL ASSESSMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page HABITAT ASSESSMENT.................................................................................72 Past Habitats .........................................................................................72 Current Habitats ....................................................................................73 Projected Habitats .................................................................................74 Yellow Lampmussel...............................................................................76 Tidewater Mucket ..................................................................................78 Brook Floater.........................................................................................79 POPULATION ASSESSMENT.........................................................................81 Past Populations....................................................................................81 Current Populations...............................................................................81 Projected Populations............................................................................83 Yellow Lampmussel .................................................................................................... 83 Tidewater Mucket ..................................................................................86 Brook Floater.........................................................................................88 Limiting Factors and Threats .................................................................91 USE AND DEMAND ASSESSMENT ...............................................................94 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................97 LITERATURE CITED .......................................................................................99 APPENDICES Appendix 1. Confirmed hosts for the freshwater mussels of Maine....110 Appendix 2.